Let's be realistic.

A different way of telling a story

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Based on the novel, Turn of the Screw, Helen Walker is hired as a governess for two English children, Miles and Flora, in their old mansion in the England countryside. While on the job, Helen notices strange events surrounding the mansion and children and is determined to discover the surrounding secrets of the home's past history.This is actually a pretty intriguing movie that captures the audience's attention with the peculiar children, followed by the immediate sightings of the apparitions by Helen Walker. Valerie Bertinelli did a nice job portraying her, displaying aspects of care and nurture for the children and drama and suspicion in places in the plot where appropriate. Diana Rigg did a commanding job in portraying the intimidating Mrs. Grose and Florence Hoath and Aled Roberts did a convincing job portraying the kids - very refined, dignified and lady/gentleman-like. Aled's portrayal of Miles always has this sly and sinister look at his face, with his nose in the air and stuck-up persona that I've found annoying at times.The effects done for the ghosts were worked out very well and their appearances really sent chills down my body and the hair raise on the back of my neck. The effects team also did a great job in setting up the grand mansion (making it spooky when appropriate) and the surrounding landscapes, especially the green valleys and lake.I know the movie is based on the novel, but I wished ***spoiler ahead*** Helen would have gave the screaming and obnoxious Flora a taste of her own medicine toward the end and wished the ending would have been made a little more hopeful rather than downright sad (I'm a sucker for happy endings). The ending also seemed a little rushed for me. ***spoiler ends***Overall, it's not a bad hair-raising TV movie for a few good scares and chills.Grade B-

Based on The Turn of The Screw by Henry James, a new governess {Valerie Bertinelli} for two children arrives at a beautiful Gothic mansion in the English countryside complete with a private lake. Although the Lord of the Manor will not be present, placing all responsibility upon her shoulders - he being a confirmed bachelor, and she a lonely young childless widow, she implores for the opportunity.Upon her arrival, she spots a face in a blackened window, then later a man on top the tower, and the same lady by the lake. She encounters former Lord of the Manor Peter Quint gazing menacingly in at her from outside a window on a Sunday morning just before church, in which she had just mentioned that The Devil 'causes obstacles for the faithful on Sundays' {the classic "Speak of The Devil and The Devil appears"}. His eyes flicker and long black hair frames a pale face, as Helen is terrified speechless.The Lady by the lake is Miss Jessel attired in a black dress in which she drowned by suicide after Quint, her lover, fell from that tower. Ms. Walker seems to be sensitive to the ghostly apparitions therein, although head maid Mrs. Grose does not believe her at first, fearing Helen may be losing her mind, yet subsequent strange events become undeniable. The children Flora and Miles steadily become possessed by these shades and set their mischievousness upon their new American governess.In the end, Emily Jessel and Peter Quint are reunited in a passionate embrace, and despite his beckoning for her to join them, Helen falls back in fright. She attends to the children to free them of the clutches of this devilish rogue, whose reputation is regarded as a monster, lecher, carouser, not only by the resident maids {whom it is assumed he took liberties with}, but also the goodly groundskeeper Barnaby, who held the opinion that "god" struck him down {perhaps a wee bit of jealousy there?}. ∞

The Haunting of Helen Walker (1995)Now this what you call a good chiller, I really enjoyed it, it dose take long to get to the creepy parts, they worked really well. There are to far apart from each other and they not just there for one Jump scenes, you see this ghost for more then 20's seconds. I loved the Raining window scenes was really well shot and very creepy how movie was fixed on that the whole time, The Kid in this movie was creepy but I think they were a little to cute to laugh like that. I really enjoyed this movie, I know it updated version Turn of the Screw (There are few of these out there) The acting was outstanding from the whole cast and Kids were great too I going to give this movie 8 out of 10

In agreement with the other comments, I too was skeptical with Valerie Bertinelli in the part of the governess in basically an all British film. But she was surprisingly very good. I also agree that this was a very scary movie. The effects were great, not overboard. The actor portraying Peter Quint was diabolical looking. Think about how difficult it is to act without being able to speak....very interesting. Diana Rigg, as always was great in her role. The children were okay, the boy had a tendency to squint, but when his eyes were open, he was a very handsome child. The film location was perfect for this type of movie, kind of pseudo-gothic. If you like horror, I would definitely recommend this movie.